Two more suspects arrested in the Newark execution case [Updated]
[Guest post by DRJ]
Following up on an earlier post by Patterico, Rodolfo Godinez, a Nicaraguan national who had been arrested several times in the past but never deported, was arrested yesterday in connection with the Newark executions. Godinez was arrested in suburban Washington DC and his 16-year-old half brother was also arrested a short time later in nearby Virginia:
“The search team, which included the FBI’s Fugitive Task Force, staked out the address in Maryland where Godinez was staying after receiving a tip that he was planning to flee to Texas and then to Mexico, according to James Plousis, a U.S. marshal who is responsible for New Jersey.
The tip came from a confidential informant working with federal law enforcement, Cuff said.
Nearly 10 other people, Sorukas said, were arrested for immigration violations in the operation.
In Virginia, Prince William County Police said three others were arrested at the Woodbridge address where the 16-year-old was found. They were arrested on charges of immigration violations and obstruction of justice.”
This case has yielded at least 15 illegal immigrants, several of which we know have criminal records.
UPDATE: 18-year-old Melvin Jovel, the sixth and apparently final suspect in the slayings, was arrested early Sunday morning in Elizabeth, NJ.
Geraldo’s moustache is gently weeping.
daleyrocks (906622) — 8/19/2007 @ 10:34 pmThis case has yielded at least 15 illegal immigrants, several of which we know have criminal records.
You might want to check.
Godinez was a “legal permanent resident” from 2001, according to the Star-Ledger, NY Post and CNN.
Deportable, absolutely. “Illegal,” no.
steve (3ae4b6) — 8/20/2007 @ 6:17 amRegarless of Godinez’ status, why was he not deported with all those previous arrests? I wonder if sanctioning certain cities as sanctuaries provide protection to these illegal aliens, who then commit crimes without even being identified.
As I write this, a sixth suspect was just arrested in Washington, D.C. Again, we don’t know what his immigration status is.
Nevertheless, a large majoriy of Americans want the federal government to cut off funding to these sanctuary cities and to continue tougher measures including building a fence on the border, tamper-proof ID cards, and incrased fines against unscrupulous companies employing illegal workers.
I’m afraid this will be the No.1 issue in the coming presidential election, as well it should be. We need to restore the majesty of the law.
RGL (c36902) — 8/20/2007 @ 6:46 amIt is a difficult and sad reality in this life that sometimes, “It is necessary for a good person (people) to die for the sake of their country”.
This crime is so appalling it will be very hard for politicians, even the ACLU perhaps, to stand in the way of more aggressive enforcement of immigration laws. People will demand it. Hopefully in large enough numbers and persistent enough effort to see it accomplished.
And now is the time to do it. Those who are afraid of “over-doing it” need to realize that if things don’t change, another crime or two that provokes national outrage might be “the last straw” for some and ignite the blind overreaction you fear.
I am concerned about “over-doing it”, but not to the degree that I favor doing nothing. I think those who fight more aggressive enforcement and reform (of the kind we’ve discussed on this blog) are either misinformed, mistaken, or more interested in political victories than the good of the public.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 8/20/2007 @ 6:50 amso, doctor philly, dani countryman died with an illegal alien’s foot on her neck for the sake of her country? this had never occurred to me. i’m sure your comment will be a great comfort to her family, and i hope they see it.
assistant devil's advocate (18c7fe) — 8/20/2007 @ 8:43 amWait, so an illegal alien from Mexico was going to flee the United States for Mexico.
What’s not to love about this?
Come for the work, stay for the benefits, flee from its justice. It’s the Shamnesty Way.
Gabriel Sutherland (90b3a1) — 8/20/2007 @ 9:03 amalso, had to laugh at drj’s
james plousis, a u.s. marshal who is responsible for new jersey.
he gets no mercy from me.
assistant devil's advocate (18c7fe) — 8/20/2007 @ 9:03 amDRJ – Are there “15 illegal immigrants” under arrest in this horrendous case? To say “this case has yielded” that number is doublespeak if you mean witnesses, cleared suspects and ancillary sweeps.
The named triggerman, Melvin Jovell and ringleader Rodolfo Godinez are not reported as illegals.
Animals, undeniably.
steve (3ae4b6) — 8/20/2007 @ 9:28 amSteve,
I may be wrong that 15 illegal immigrants have been detained but I think it’s pretty close:
1. Carranza;
2.-10. The “nearly 10” [9?] detained when Godinez was arrested; and
11.-13. The 3 detained with Godninez’s 16-year-old half brother; and
14.-15. The 2 juveniles arrested after Carranza was arrested, but I can’t find any report that discusses their status so I may be wrong about these two. We don’t know the status of Godinez’s half-brother.
I did not mean, nor do I think I said, that every person detained is a suspect in this case. My point was that the suspects were associating with numerous illegal immigrants. It’s not a huge point but it is interesting.
DRJ (bfe07e) — 8/20/2007 @ 10:03 amIt is a difficult and sad reality …
Comment by MD in Philly
so, doctor philly, dani countryman died with an illegal alien’s foot on her neck for the sake of her country? this had never occurred to me. i’m sure your comment will be a great comfort to her family, and i hope they see it…
Comment by assistant devil’s advocate
As I communicated at the start of the post, it is a tragic event.
I had meant to say that, “The one good thing that could come of this would be that…”, and so the rest of my post. I thought that a bit insensitive so I started with the obvious, and in so doing left out the linking thought, that may or may not have helped the passage.
I would hope they would gain as much comfort, if they saw it, as one can in other situations where one’s death is tragic yet a blessing to others, such as when organs are donated at death so others could live, or the spouse of a police officer or fire fighter who gave their life in the line of duty. How much comfort is that? Not necessarily a lot, usually, but some.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 8/20/2007 @ 10:17 amMy point was that the suspects were associating with numerous illegal immigrants.
So stipulated.
But a fugitive hiding with illegals doing construction 250 miles away is not the same as arguing, “This case has yielded at least 15 illegal immigrants.”
The killers are off the streets. That’s the case.
steve (3ae4b6) — 8/20/2007 @ 10:29 amI agree. I assumed Godinez was hiding in a residence but it’s different if he was on a job site where other illegals happened to be working. Is that what happened?
DRJ (bfe07e) — 8/20/2007 @ 10:38 amGodinez is Nicaraguan, Gabriel.
Not “an illegal alien from Mexico.”
alphie (015011) — 8/20/2007 @ 12:53 pmThe WaPo says Godinez was hiding with men police [Robert Fernandez, commander of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force] said “were staying at the apartment temporarily while working construction jobs in the area.”
The status of laborers he blended in with doesn’t mean that much. At least not as much as the reality that this excellent police work might NEVER have happened had the victims not had a compelling storyline.
When Nancy Grace and the NY Post get their panties in a wad, triple homicides are solved with impatient haste.
Three gang-bangers killed in Kansas City? No so much.
steve (f80d9c) — 8/20/2007 @ 2:25 pmIf we deport them all, will that reduce our CO2 emissions? Perhaps we won’t have to replace so many incandescent bulbs? And just think of the reduced wear and tear on our transportation infrastructure.
Another Drew (8018ee) — 8/20/2007 @ 4:49 pm